Convertible stool-table construction



Jan. 4, 1966 J. WISEMAN 3,227,112

CONVERTIBLE S TOOL-TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOSEPH WISEMAN HIS ATTORNEY Jan. 4, 1966 w s 3,227,112

CONVERTIBLE STOOL-TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2:

I I: 4s t; 51 50 7 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH WISEMAN BY FIG. 6 W

HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,22 7,1 12 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 3,227,112 CONVERTIBLE STOOL-TABLE CONSTRUCTION Joseph Wiseman, 237 South 4th East, Salt Lake City, Utah Filed Mar. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 436,787 4 Claims. (Cl. res-4M.

The present invention relates to stool-table or collapsible table constructions and, more particularly to a new and improved construction wherein a member taking the form of a footstool, ottoman, or low seat includes provision for an auxiliary table top when the structure within the stool is elevated appropriately.

In the past a number of types of stools, Ottomans, and tables have been constructed for general purposes used both in the home and olfice. Ottomans and footstools serve as a convenient piece of furniture in the home, and the same can be used as an extra seat for visitors. It frequently becomes necessary to provide facility for eating in the living room or den of the home where the footstool will normally be located, and it would be highly desirable to convert the stool or ottoman to an elevated table provided with an auxiliary table top.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a composite stool and table construction.

An additional object is to provide a footstool or ottoman construction, the top of which is easily removable and the structure within which can be easily erected to accommodate placement thereon and engagement therewith of a usable table top.

An additional object is to provide a collapsible table construction which, when the top thereof is stored away, may be conveniently used as a stool or ottoman.

A further object is to provide collapsible support structure, within a stool or ottoman, wherein the same, by a unique slide rail engagement structure, conveniently engages depending slide rails of a table top to secure the same in central position over the basic structure.

A further object is to provide latching structure for erectable tables so as to accommodate central placement of a table top thereover and likewise provide latch securement of alternate top structure.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an ottoman or footstool employing the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of the structure of FIGURE 1 in which the top thereof is removed.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view, partially sectioned and broken away for convenience of illustration, of the structure of FIGURE 2, wherein the table top support structure thereof has been erected to achieve vertical disposition.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan of an auxiliary table top used in connection with the structure shown in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view taken along the line 5-5 in FIGURE 4 and illustrates the engagement of the slide rails of the table top with the slide members of the structure of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan of the top member of the ottoman or stool shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is an elevation edge view taken along the line 77 in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectioned view taken along the line 88 in FIGURE 3 and illustrates the latching construction of the invention usable to secure the top member of the ottoman over the box portion thereof.

In FIGURE 1 stool 10 is shown to include box member 11, a plurality of legs 12 supporting the same, and a top member 13 which is removable from box member 11. The provision of legs 12, of course, will be optional. Stool Iii may be designed as a footst-ool, a seat, or other elevated support; the term stool shall comprehend all of these structures and their equivalents.

When top member 13 is removed, then the interior of box member 11 is seen, see FIGURE 2. Contained within box member 11 are a plurality of extension, support, or leg means 14, 15, 16, and 17, these being pivoted to respective pivot blocks 18, 19, 20, and 21 about respective parallel, horizontal axes A and B. Suitable means such as bolt or stud attachments 22, 23, 24, and 25 complete the pivotal securement as before described. The upper extremities 26-29 of the legs 14-17 are secured to cross or slide members 30 and 31 as indicated. Slide member 30 includes detent aperture 32 the reason for the provision of which is hereinafter described.

Stops 334,5 limit outward travel of the legs to the upstanding vertical condition shown in FIGURE 3. Stop chains 36 and 37, secured between bottom 38 of box member 11 and the legs 16 and 14, may be provided, if desired. It is seen with respect to FIGURE 3 that box member 11 includes four sides 3942 and may include respective edge plates 4346, if desired. It is conceivable that the bottom 38 could be eliminated and the pivot blocks attached to side 41 at the former lower extremities. However, it is preferable that the bottom be included; when so included and made of wood construction, gussets 48 will be supplied.

FIGURES 6 and 7 indicate that the bottom surface 49 of top member 13 is provided with engagement toe brackets 56 and 51 and with a catch bracket 52, all these brack ets being provided conventional screw attachments 53 for securement to top member 13. FIGURES 3 and 8 illustrate the latch mechanism. A latch 54 is pivoted by attachment means 55 to side 40 of' box member 11. Secured to latch 54 is a latch pull 56 which proceeds downwardly through aperture 57 of bottom 38.. A spring 58 is secured between mounting screw 59, likewise attached to side 46, and aperture 60 of latch 54. The catch bracket 52 is secured to top member 13 in a conventional manner by rivet or screw 61. The latch 54 includes a flange 63 which engages the hook portion 64 of catch bracket 52. Stop 65 is secured to bracket 66 and forms a stop for latch 54 in the absence of engagement of flange 63 thereof with hook portion 64.

Bracket 66 includes an aperture 67 serving as the admittance aperture for catch bracket 52.

It is thus seen that the replacement of top member 13 onto an over box member 11 is accomplished by the user engaging the engagement toe brackets 53 of FIGURE 6 with apertures 68 and 69 of plates 70 and 71, see FIG- URE 3, and then urging the catch bracket 52 downwardly so that lowermost hook portion 64 thereof engages flange 63. Edge '72 should be curved so as to provide for a cam action and consequent and outward thrusting (to the right) of flange 63, so that the lower portion 64 engages this flange in a locking relationship. Unlocking of the latch mechanism is accomplished by downward pulling of latch pull 56 so as to disengage the lower hook portion 64 of catch bracket 52 from flange 63. Subsequently, the user will simply lift upwardly on this edge of top member 13 so as to remove the latter from box member 11. The above illustrates the operation of top member 13, both as to its disengagement from and re-engagement with box member 11 of the stool 10.

It will be noted in FIGURES 4 and 5 that an auxiliary table top 74 is provided for engagement with slide members 30 and 31 of the structure of FIGURE 3 when the the same are opened outwardly as shown. Top member 74 includes on its bottom surface 75, see FIGURE 4, a pair of U-configured slide rails 76 and 77 which are secured in place to the top '74 by means of screw attachments 78. Each of the slide rails 76 and 77 includes a respective, outwardly-facing, elongate groove 79, 80 for receiving the inner edge of the respective slide members 31 and 38. For convenience of manual manipulation, an anchor post 81 is supplied. This is secured to table top 74 as by dowling. Attached to the lowermost surface of slide rail 76 is an arm stop 82 which selectively engages detent arm or spring arm 83. A pin 84 is secured to spring arm 83 and is disposed in rail aperture 83" such that the same disengages the detent aperture 32 of slide member 30 when arm 83 is urged outwardly to the phantomline configuration shown at 83" in FIGURE 4.

In operation, the structure is positioned in the manner shown in FIGURE 3 and the table top 74 is caused to slidingly cooperate with slide members 30 and 31 in the manner indicated in FIGURE 5. The inner edges E, one being shown in FIGURE 3, of slide members 30 and 31, will be curved, as well as the end of pin 84, so that pin 84 will be easily urged inwardly upon the advancement toward and engagement with the same slide member 30. When the table top has been advanced sutficiently forwardly (into the paper with respect to FIGURE 5) so that pin 84 registers with detent aperture 32, then the pin will fall into detent aperture 32 so as to position the table top in a central position over box member 11. Release of this positioning detent is accomplished by the user hooking his thumb or finger over anchor post 81 and lifting with his finger (or thumb) the arm 83 outwardly so that the same achieves the phantom-line configuration 83. At this point the pin is released from its detent aperture 32 so that the table may be withdrawn from engagement from slide members 30 and 31. Subsequently, a table top is stored, the upright structure of FIGURE 3 collapsed to which position is shown in FIGURE 2, and then the top member 13 replaced as shown in FIGURE 1 and indicated in FIGURE 8.

Accordingly, it is'seen that the present invention provides a unique stool structure the top of which is removable to provide means whereby an extended height may be achieved and a table top conveniently installed.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A collapsible table, convertible stool structure including, in combination, a box member, support means pivotally secured to and collapsible within said box memher and constructed for upward vertically constrained erection therefrom, said support means including slide member means, a table top having an undersur face and slide rail means secured to said undersurface, said slide rail means including mutually outwardly facing, parallel, horizontal grooves, said slide member means being releasably secured within and engaging said slide rail means at said grooves when said support means are so upwardly erected, and means for receiving an alternate top for disposition over said box member when said table top is removed and said support means are collapsed within said box member.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said support means comprises two leg means pairs individually pivotal about one of two, parallel horizontal axes, said slide member means comprising a pair of slide members respectively secured to the extremities of a respective pair of said leg means.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said slide rail means includes a releasable detent means for selectively, positionably engaging said slide member means to position said table top centrally over said structure.

4. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said box member includes latch means for selectively engaging said alternate top when said table top is removed, said support means collapsed within said box member, and said alternate top is implaced over said box member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 58,462 10/1866 Nellis 10836 213,512 3/1879 Landis 297338 368,008 8/1887 Robertson 108144 1,175,928 3/1916 Choinski 108157 X 1,918,634- 7/1933 Cordes 108-31 X 2,258,364 10/1941 Maxwell 108--14 X 2,277,435 3/1942 Howe 297-139 X 2,564,338 8/1951 McCarroll 10811 X 2,582,703 1/1952 Kirshbaum 108-13 X 2,687,167 8/19 54 Janesick 297-151 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

J. T. MCCALL, Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE TABLE, CONVERTIBLE STOOL STRUCTURE INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION, A BOX MEMBER, SUPPORT MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURED TO AND COLLAPSIBLE WITHIN SAID BOX MEMBER AND CONSTRUCTED FOR UPWARD VERTICALLY CONSTRAINED ERECTION THEREFROM, SAID SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING SLIDE MEMBER MEANS, A TABLE TOP HAVING AN UNDERSURFACE AND SLIDE RAIL MEANS SECURED TO SAID UNDERSURFACE, SAID SLIDE RAIL MEANS INCLUDING MUTUALLY OUTWARDLY FACING, PARALLEL, HORIZONTAL GROOVES, SAID SLIDE MEMBER MEANS BEING RELEASABLY SECURED WITHIN AND ENGAGING SAID SLIDE RAIL MEANS AT SAID GROOVES WHEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS ARE SO UPWARDLY 